Two classes of analysis systems are known in the field of medical analysis: wet analysis systems, and dry-chemical analysis systems. Wet analysis systems, which essentially operate using “wet reagents”, perform an analysis via a number of required step such as, for example, providing a dosing sample and a reagent into a reagent vessel, mixing the dosing sample and reagent together in the reagent vessel, and measuring and analyzing the mixture for a measurement variable characteristic to provide a desired analytical result (analysis result). Such steps are performed using technically complex, large, line-operated analysis instruments, which allow required manifold movements of participating elements. This class of analysis system is typically used in large medical-analytic laboratories.
On the other hand, dry-chemical analysis systems operate using “dry reagents” which are typically integrated in a test element and implemented as a “test strip”, for example. When these dry-chemical analysis systems are used, the liquid sample dissolves the reagents in the test element, and the reaction of sample and reagent results in a change of a measurement variable, which can be measured on the test element itself. Above all, optically analyzable (in particular colorimetric) analysis systems are typical in this class, in which the measurement variable is a color change or other optically measurable variable. Electrochemical systems are also typical in this class, in which an electrical measurement variable characteristic for the analysis, in particular an electrical current upon application of a defined voltage, can be measured in a measuring zone of the test element using electrodes provided in the measuring zone.
The analysis instruments of the dry-chemical analysis systems are usually compact, portable, and battery-operated. The systems are used for decentralized analysis, for example, at resident physicians, on the wards of the hospitals, and in so-called “home monitoring” during the monitoring of medical-analytic parameters by the patient himself (in particular blood glucose analysis by diabetics).
In wet analysis systems, the high-performance analysis instruments allow the performance of more complex multistep reaction sequences (“test protocols”). For example, immunochemical analyses often require a multistep reaction sequence, in which a “bound/free separation” (hereafter “b/f separation”), i.e., a separation of a bound phase and a free phase, is necessary. According to one test protocol, for example, the probe can first be transported through a porous solid matrix, which contains a specific binding reagent for the analyte. A marking reagent can subsequently be caused to flow through the porous matrix, to mark the bound analyte and allow its detection. To achieve precise analysis, a washing step must previously be performed, in which unbound marking reagent is completely removed. Numerous test protocols are known for determining manifold analytes, which differ in manifold ways, but which share the feature that they require complex handling having multiple reaction steps, in particular also a b/f separation possibly being necessary.
Test strips and similar analysis elements normally do not allow controlled multistep reaction sequences. Test elements similar to test strips are known, which allow further functions, such as the separation of red blood cells from whole blood, in addition to supplying reagents in dried form. However, they normally do not allow precise control of the time sequence of individual reaction steps. Wet-chemical laboratory systems offer these capabilities, but are too large, too costly, and too complex to handle for many applications.
To close these gaps, analysis systems have been suggested which operate using test elements which are implemented in such a manner that at least one externally controlled (i.e., using an element outside the test element itself) liquid transport step occurs therein (“controllable test elements”). The external control can be based on the application of pressure differences (overpressure or low-pressure) or on the change of force actions (e.g., change of the action direction of gravity by attitude change of the test element or by acceleration forces). The external control is especially frequently performed by centrifugal forces, which act on a rotating test element as a function of the velocity of the rotation.
Analysis systems having controllable test elements are known and typically have a housing, which comprises a dimensionally-stable plastic material, and a sample analysis channel enclosed by the housing, which often comprises a sequence of multiple channel sections and chambers expanded in comparison to the channel sections lying between them. The structure of the sample analysis channel having its channel sections and chambers is defined by profiling of the plastic parts. This profiling is able to be generated by injection molding techniques or hot stamping, microstructures, which are generated by lithography methods, increasingly being used more recently, however.
Analysis systems having controllable test elements allow the miniaturization of tests which have only been able to be performed using large laboratory systems. In addition, they allow the parallelization of procedures by repeated application of identical structures for the parallel processing of similar analyses from one sample and/or identical analyses from different samples. It is a further advantage that the test elements can typically be produced using established production methods and that they can also be measured and analyzed using known analysis methods. Known methods and products can also be employed in the chemical and biochemical components of such test elements.
In spite of these advantages, there is a further need for improvement. In particular, analysis systems which operate using controllable test elements are still too large. The most compact dimensions possible are of great practical significance for many intended applications.